WASTELAND Premiered 15 May 2019, CAST, Doncaster
★★★★★
“Wasteland is a truly wonderful piece of dance-theatre: humane, politically charged, by turns funny and sad.”
In 1994 hundreds of coal miners hung up their pit boots as Grimethorpe Colliery was destroyed, along with the tight-knit working-class community that surrounded it. WASTELAND, Gary Clarke’s sequel to COAL, looks at how two generations coped in this era of radical upheaval. As we see one generation grind to a halt, we follow the next into the 90s illegal rave scene, where derelict warehouses and abandoned workspaces became home for a new-found community of music and dance.
Bringing together Clarke’s vivid physical dance language performed by a company of exceptional dancers, a community cast of singers, brass musicians, archive film footage, a powerful rave soundtrack and unique artwork by Jimmy Cauty (co-founder of The KLF), WASTELAND dives head first into a gritty story of loss, hope, escapism and survival.
WASTELAND premiered in 2019 and toured extensively to critical and audience acclaim until the tour was halted in March 2020 due to the pandemic. WASTELAND retoured in 2023 to further critical and audience acclaim.
★★★★★
“Brilliant”
Original Creative Team
Artistic Direction: Gary Clarke
Producer: Annabel Dunbar
Company Associate: Alistair Goldsmith
Choreography: Gary Clarke and the Wasteland Dancers
Dramaturgy: Lou Cope
Set & Costume Design: Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting and Video Design: Charles Webber
Musical Director: Steven Roberts
Soundscape Design: Daniel Thomas
Rave Soundtrack: Charles Webber
Script & Text: Lewey Hellewell
Artistic Advisor: Richard Lowden
Associate Costume Designer: Hannah Boothman
Graffiti Artwork: Nicolas Vendange
Researcher: Afi Khan
Smiley Riot Shields: Courtesy of Jimmy Cauty
Originally:
Produced by: Gary Clarke and Annabel Dunbar (As Independents, under the banner of Gary Clarke Company)
Co-commissioned by: Nottingham Playhouse, Tramway, Cast, Dance4, The Place, DanceXchange, Gulbenkian, Art31, Contact Theatre, Grand Theatre Blackpool, Civic Barnsley, Yorkshire Dance.
Funded by: The National Lottery through Arts Council England and Creative Scotland project grants with support from The Northern School of Contemporary Dance, The National Union of Mineworkers, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Northern Ballet, Leeds Dance Partnership, Jon Kinsey Hairdressing and The Stirling Pit Women
Age Guidance: 14+
Duration: 85 minutes
For videos, interviews, photos and full background info about the show go to www.wastelandtour.co.uk
Trailer
Tour Dates
Current Touring
Not Currently Touring
Available upon request – Please contact us
Past dates
- Doncaster Cast 15* & 16 May 2019 *World Premiere
- Barnsley The Civic 6-8 Jun 2019
- Glasgow Tramway 14 & 15 Jun 2019
- Newcastle Northern Stage 25 & 26 Sept 2019
- London The Place 2-5 & 8-10 Oct 2019
- Canterbury Gulbenkian 17 & 18 Oct 2019
- Nottingham Playhouse 25 & 26 Oct 2019
- Blackpool The Grand Theatre 8 Nov 2019
- Huddersfield LBT 12 & 13 Nov 2019
- Dundee Rep Theatre 31 Jan - 1 Feb 2020
- Derby Derby Theatre 6 & 7 Feb 2020
- Birmingham Patrick Centre, Hippodrome 27 & 28 Feb 2020
- Crewe Lyceum Theatre 3 & 4 Ma 2020
- Stirling Macrobert Arts Centre 19 & 20 Mar 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- York Theatre Royal 27 & 28 Mar 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Belfast The MAC 3 & 4 Apr 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Poole Lighthouse 22 Apr 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Greenock Beacon Arts Centre 29 Apr 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Leicester Curve 11 May 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Inverness Eden Court 15 & 16 May 2020 This tour date DID not take place due to the pandemic
- Nottingham Playhouse 25 & 26 Jan 2023
- Manchester Contact 1-3 Feb 2023
- Leicester Curve 18 Feb 2023
- Truro Hall for Cornwall 10 Mar 2023
- Poole Lighthouse 15 Mar 2023
- Barnsley The Civic 21 & 22 Apr 2023
- Belfast MAC 27 & 28 Apr 2023
- Huddersfield LBT 9 & 10 May 2023
- Birmingham Rep 18 & 19 May 2023
Credits
Professional Performers - Touring
2019, 2020 & 2023
The Last Miner: Alistar Goldsmith (2019 -2020 & Nottingham 2023); Parsifal James Hurst (2023)
The Boy: Tom Davis Dunn (Spring 2019); Reece Calver (Autumn 2019; Dundee & Derby 2020); Robert Anderson (Birmingham and Crewe 2020 & 2023)
The Ravers: Robert Anderson (2019; Dundee & Derby 2020); Jake Evans (2019 – 2020 & 2023); Emily Thompson Smith (2019 – 2020 & 2023); Elena Thomas Voilquin (2019; Crewe 2020); Patricia Langa (Spring 2020 & 2023); Shelley Eva Haden (2023)
Production & Promotion Team - Touring
2019, 2020 & 2023
Artistic Director: Gary Clarke
Producer (& Tour Manager): Annabel Dunbar
Musical Director: Steven Roberts (Assistant Charles Rhodes)
Production Manager: Nia Wood (2020 & 2023)
Technical Manager/Re-lighter: Adam Eastwood (Premiere & Various 2019 – 2020); Chris Copland (Various 2019 – 2020 & 2023)
Production Technician/Stage Manager: Elb Hall
Wardrobe & Props Supervisor: Hannah Boothman
Admin & Finance: Jane Whitehead (2019 – 2020); Katie Bough (2019 – 2020 & 2023)
Marketing Manager: Tiffany Evans (2019- 2020); Meg Edwards, HDK (2023)
Engagement Manager: Laura Barber (2019 – 2020); Sarah Cooper (2023)
Press and PR: John Highfield (2019)
Digital Consultants: HDK
Promotional Filming: Josh Hawkins
Promotional Photography: Joe Armitage (Boneshaker Photography)
Graphic Design: Jo Briggs (Up For Grabs)
The Pit Men (Community Casts) & Championship Brass Bands
2019, 2020 & 2023
Cast, Doncaster
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Meirion Lewis, Chris Roberts, Paul Trow, Richard Wade
The Civic, Barnsley
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band |
Neil Abdy, Garry Leigh, Chris Roberts, Charles Swallow
Tramway, Glasgow
Whitburn Band |
George Campbell, Francis Lopez, Tom Malone, Daniel Welsh
Northern Stage, Newcastle
NASUWT Riverside Band Band |
John Armstrong, Peter Curran, Steve Dodds, Ken Richardson
The Place, London
London Based Independent Brass Players|
Tristan Parkes, Martin Parsons (all shows except Sat 5 Oct),
Jonathan Pettitt, Tom Risdale, Chris Roberts (Sat 5 Oct only)
Gulbenkian, Canterbury
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Tim Chapman, Norton Harries, Sid Moon, Mike Smith
Nottingham Playhouse
Grimethorpe Colliery Band |
Andy Batty, Gareth Busson, Danny Horan, Roger Williams
Grand Theatre, Blackpool
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Neil Abdy, Seamus Graeme, Khristopher MacLeod, Richard Wade
Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
The Fairey Band |
Show One: Meirion Lewis, Chris Roberts, John Shaw, Richard Wade
Show Two: Matthew Blair, Neil Frankland, Richard Parfitt, John Shaw
2020
Dundee Rep
Whitburn Band
Brian Boardman, David Hamilton, Shaun Harbour, Ken Peters
Derby Theatre
Derwent Brass |
Phil Green, Paul Johnstone, Rob Morton, Norman Smith
Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome
Grimethorpe Colliery Band |
Lee Hamblett, Guy Martyr, Paul Metcalfe, Tony Scripps
Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
The Fairey Band |
Steve Barber, Nick Horsley, Richard Lees, Dave Tranter
2023
Nottingham Playhouse
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Andrew Batty, Danny Horan, Norman Smith, Roger Williams
Contact Theatre, Manchester
The Fairey Band
Mark Dawson, John Hilton, John Priestley, Peter Shotton
Curve, Leicester
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Gareth Busson, Michael Holland, Iain Hunt, George Overton
Hall for Cornwall, Truro
Wingates Band
Trevor Brookes, Peter Gummow, Martyn Pinnock, Andy Wetherelt
Lighthouse, Poole
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band |
Lee Crosse, Tony Hughes, Len Jeanne, David Marshall
The Civic, Barnsley
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Neil Abdy, Garry Leigh, John Shaw, Richard Wade
MAC, Belfast
Downshire Brass
AJ Bradford, David Cox, Dave Moore, Jim Young
Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Wingate’s Band
Matthew Blair, John Hilton, John Shaw, Richard Wade
The Rep, Birmingham
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Robert Edwards, Matthew Greenhalgh, Tim Robbins, Mike Willis
PLUS
WASTELAND TOWN TRAILS | BARNSLEY 2023
PIT MEN
Neil Abdy | Matthew Blair | Garry Leigh | John Shaw | Peter Shotton | Norman Smith | Richard Wade | Roger Williams
BRASS
Members of Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band ( 20+ musicians) & Brass Duo for Pit Men Trail Anna Spedding (Flugelhorn) (AS)& Toni Durrant (Euphonium) (TD)